Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) project office in Turkmenistan, participated in a regional training on the inventory of methane emissions from oil and gas systems, which was held in Tashkent from July 7 to 10, 2025. The training was organized within the framework of the project "Building the Capacity of Central Asia to reduce methane Emissions (CA CBMER)", aimed at strengthening the capacity of the countries of the region — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, with the participation of Azerbaijan and Mongolia as observers.
The training program focused on the use of the 2006 methodology of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for estimating methane emissions in the oil and gas sector and the preparation of national greenhouse gas inventories (NIRs).
According to Mergen Kepbanov, the training proved to be extremely useful and productive. He noted the high level of preparation of the event, a large number of practical exercises and lively discussions between the participants. The discussions focused not only on the methodological aspects of calculations, but also on the real problems faced by national experts in collecting data and developing emission inventories. According to him, the training has become a valuable platform for sharing experiences and best practices in the field of monitoring and reducing methane emissions.
Upon completion of the training, participants were given two months to complete a practical task — the development of national guidelines for the assessment of methane emissions based on the methodology of the IPCC 2006. These documents will further contribute to the improvement of national greenhouse gas emission inventories and the formation of a more accurate database for climate action. During this period, remote consultations of expert trainers are provided to support participants in completing the task.
Speaking at the end of the training, Mergen Kepbanov stressed that this topic is of strategic importance for Turkmenistan. He recalled that on December 1, 2023, at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-28), the President of Turkmenistan announced the country's accession to the Global Methane Commitment. According to estimates by 2024, Turkmenistan has already achieved a 10% reduction in methane emissions and continues to work towards achieving its goal of reducing methane emissions by 30% by 2030. In addition, the country is actively fulfilling its obligations under the Paris Agreement, including the development of a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and a national inventory system for greenhouse gas emissions and greenhouse gas effluents.
Mergen Kepbanov expressed confidence that participation in such regional initiatives not only improves the professional level of specialists, but also strengthens cooperation between Central Asian countries in combating climate change.
"The knowledge and practices gained during the training in Tashkent will certainly be used in the further work of the CAREC project office in Turkmenistan," noted Mergen Kepbanov.
Additional information:
Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, turkmenistan@carececo.org